Monthly Archives: February 2015

By Fenit Nirappil, Associated Press The federal government is making available up to $50 million in drought-relief funds for western states, with the largest portion earmarked for parched California, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Gov. Jerry Brown announced Friday. The additional funding includes about $20 million for the Central Valley Water Project for efforts such as water …

Registration is open for the Western Governors’ Drought Forum Webinar Series, which will feature regional experts on water and drought management. The series will offer five in-depth discussions on topics that have arisen during the first six months of the Drought Forum, the Chairman’s Initiative of Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. In addition to providing a closer examination of the emerging challenges in drought …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 55 counties in California as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought. The counties are: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Kern, Kings,  Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino,  Merced, Modoc, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have announced a partnership through the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) Project to conduct workshops that will help potential grant applicants understand, develop, and submit their federal grant applications for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. “The Farmers Market and …

By Katie Orr California’s urban water conservation rate reached 22 percent in December, exceeding the 20 percent conservation goal set by Governor Jerry Brown. Heavy rain led to reduced outdoor watering. But the State Water Board’s Katheryn Landau says nature isn’t the only explanation for the savings. “It also indicates that the water conservation efforts that we’ve taken, such as turning off …

                  On Monday, February 2, US Trade Representative Michael Froman spoke to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture at its Winter Policy Conference.  Link to speech Excerpts of speech: …”American agriculture creates positive ripple effects through the whole economy, value added at every step between farm and table. In 2012, …

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden (USDA) has announced more than $18 million in grants to educate, mentor, and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers. The grants are available through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which was authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 …